The Black Panther
by BlackPantherArchives
Summary: When the Mikaelsons are found by people claiming to know them; things they thought they knew about their past, are questioned; forgotten bonds of family, friends and foes, the reason for their vampire origin and the truth behind the sire-bond. All the while an ancient evil breaks free from the shadows, hellbent on regaining his full power, no matter who might try to stop him...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** So, here's the first chapter of this new and collected story. It begins some time after whatever happens in season five (I'm just gonna assume that all of them are still alive, because anything else would just be too heartbreaking). This is gonna be the main story, to the story 'The End', so enjoy! :D

* * *

 **Chapter One**

"Well, if it isn't Kol Mikaelson in own flesh and blood."

Kol was brought out of his silent remising, absently staring into half empty glass of whiskey as he swirled it gently. The vampire felt a presence settle next to him by the bar, despite it still being early night and the most of the bar seats vacant. Kol glanced to the side, not really in the mood to make conversation with a random stranger. Being an original vampire, it wasn't unusual for someone to know his face and name, and thus being recognized even in the wet and dreary New York, during one of the coldest Fall seasons felt in decades.

The face meeting him was female.

Deep brown eyes with a certain glint and short, dark brown hair, damp from the rain, with purple tufts. She sat, back leaned against the bar, elbows resting on the desk, facing the room and guests of the small bar. She gave Kol a crooked smirk looking at him as she took the drink out of his hand and downed the rest of it.

"Ugh..." She said making a face from the taste of the alcohol, "Bad taste Kol." She commented and put the glass down, "What is it? Marriage life not going well for ya'?"

The original gave the stranger a guarded look, not appreciating her familiarity with him. He took another look at her. Black leather jacket, droplets of rain shinning in the dim light of the bar. Dark blue fit jeans, complementing her grown female curves, slim fingers with black polished nails. A long pale neck exposed and decorated with a silver chain, pendant disappearing behind the white top underneath the jacket.

"It's been over a century." The woman said suddenly, making Kol meet her eyes, "Even if you did remember me, I have changed quite a lot since we last saw each other."

Kol gave her a stunned and somewhat confused look.

"We've met before?" He asked, not understanding what the woman was getting at. Taking another look at her, he was more than certain he had never seen her before. The woman smirked and moved closer to him.

"Oh yes, we've met." She whispered close to his ear, "We used to know each other VERY well." She elaborated and moved away just a little, "I dare say, we knew each other in a biblical sense." The woman added and blinked at him, before moving away with a crooked grin. Kol followed her every movement, as she fidgeting with the hem of her wet jacket, before shaking it off completely, revealing the white top underneath along with long arms and the tattoo of a black panther, with fierce red eyes and claws stretched from the back of her right shoulder to her neck. The woman turned around to face the bar and waved the male bartender over to order a drink. She leaned over the desk to whisper something to the young bartender, with a crooked grin, before leaning back in the barstool. Kol noticed several glances being directed their way, from other guests in the bar, mainly male glances of all ages, looking at the woman with appreciation. Kol couldn't blame them. The woman was rather stunning, with perfect female curves, pale, cool looking skin and a mischievous glint in chocolate brown eyes. Kol glanced back at the bar guests behind them, each one of them looking away as he met their eyes. The original huffed and looked back at the woman, as she started speaking again.

"You don't remember me because of a spell, put on you and your siblings to keep my friend safe from all your enemies." She began, as the bartender started working on her order, "You'll only start to remember her, and everything connected to her, which includes me, when Nik gets close to her and starts remembering." She told him, not taking her eyes from the bartender. He came up to her, drink in hand and placed it in front of her. Kol's eyes widened as the young man took up a knife and slit his wrist. Red blood dripped into the drink, changing the color slightly. The woman picked up a napkin and handed it to the bartender.

"Thanks hon'." The woman said and took the drink, "You go take care of that, yeah?"

The bartender nodded absently and left the two. The woman then noticed Kol staring at her, somewhat befuddled.

"Want some?" She asked and held the drink out for Kol. The original shook his head. He had expected her to be a vampire or any kind of supernatural, considering her knowing who he was, but he had rarely seen such bold act from a vampire. The woman crooked her head, looking at him closely.

"No?" She continued on, holding the drink up, "This used to be one of your favorite drinks though. Old alcohol combined with blood of the young and ripe. Although, you usually preferred young females." She added and blinked at him with a knowing smirk. The woman may be striking; however, she was as least as dangerous as she was beautiful. Kol let out a small cough, shaking off the cold shiver running down his spine.

"Nik?" The original asked changing the subject, curious and a little alarmed at how familiar this woman seemed to be with him and his family. Knowing something like Kol's preferred drink and calling his brother by the name only close family ever would, was unnerving to the Mikaelson and rarely brought anything good with it. The woman took a small sip of the drink and smiled, glancing up at Kol.

"Yeah, Nik." She confirmed, as if she knew what her choice of words meant, "I told you, I know you well Kol. You, Nik, Elijah and Rebekah." She said gently and took another sip of her drink, "Never got around to actually meet Finn though. In all the time, I've known you guys, he was always in a coffin." She added thoughtful, staring at nothing in particular, as she waved the glass in her hand.

"Ah, but I'm not here to reminiscing on a time forgotten," She continued and twirled the glass in her hand, "I'm here, asking for help."

Kol raised a questioning brow at the woman, wondering what reason she had, and what made her believe that he would just up and help some complete stranger, with a lot of claims, which he found hard to believe. The bar door opened suddenly, letting in some of the rain falling hard outside, as two people walked in. A young man and woman, who gave the woman next to Kol a nod, before they sat down, further down the bar.

"Friends of yours?" Kol asked, not hiding his suspicion as he glanced at the two.

"Kai and Valerie are the latest members of my coven." The woman said and gave the two a soft smile, "I picked them up here in the States. I do believe you share some acquaints from the small town Mystic Falls?"

"Coven?" Kol questioned, feeling confused. He was pretty sure he was getting a vampire feel, from the woman and her drinking blood had confirmed it, however, he'd never heard of vampires having covens.

"You may believe that the world hates you and your siblings, but that's far from the truth." The woman insisted with a crooked smirk, as she looked back at Kol, "While you have managed to collect quite a few enemies over the centuries, you do have a large community of vampires, witches and werewolves, who supports and believes in you. A powerful community." She claimed, "It's that community who needs your help now. We're losing people. We've lost quite a few with you, Finn and Elijah dying and with only us from Nik's and Rebekah's sire lines left, the vampire population has grown small and so, the hunters have grown bolder."

"Hunters?" Kol asked confused. The woman nodded solemnly.

"Hunters who've been hunting down the supernatural and especially vampires, for several centuries by now." She elaborated, "You and your family has dealt with them before, on several occasions."

"The brotherhood of the five." Kol said and nodded understanding, knowing what was coming. The woman burst out with a laugh and shook her head, patting Kol's shoulder.

"What, the brotherhood? No, those losers couldn't touch us even if they wanted to. And that whole Silas/cure to vampirism thing, you and I both know what a load of bullshit that is, or at least you'll know when you remember." She said in between chuckles, "No, the Vatican hunters are way more aggressive and someone hard to deal with. For once, they're way more people, they're skilled killers and they have an excessive amount of knowledge about the history of the original vampires, the Panthers and the overall supernatural community. And they have a bloodthirst like no other hunters." The woman gave Kol a serious look, "Nik destroyed them once, back in 1324, when they managed to kill my friend, however, they've build themselves up again and know a dangerous secret, which none of your other enemies ever have known."

"And what secret is that?" Kol asked, not really believing in the words the woman was sprouting. She looked up at him, catching his eyes for a long silent moment.

"The best kept secret of the Mikaelsons." She said quietly, holding the originals gaze, "A secret they even made themselves forget, for their enemies never to exploit it. Their affection for one single person. Someone who became their family a very long time ago."

Something about the woman, made Kol lose any comprehension of time and place around him as she spoke. Her words rang in his mind, moving something inside him, as if a part of him knew there was so much more then what she was saying. Somehow, however, Kol knew the woman spoke the truth, even if he couldn't understand how.

"And you're telling me that, this secret, whatever it is, these hunters know about it?" Kol asked, shaking his head trying to understand. The woman nodded.

"To be fair, anyone would know," She said with a small shrug, "considering how Nik reacted back then. Seriously, whipping out the entirety of the Vatican secret army and compelling the pope to slowly go mad, is not something someone would do to avenge just anyone. But then again, it is Nik we're talking about, plus it was _her._ Anyway, thanks to that little bloodbath, they know what she means to not only Nik, but all of you..."

"Her? I have absolutely no idea of who you speak and I have no recollection of Nik having killed anyone of the Vatican, like you're claiming. Besides, if she was killed back then, how will these hunters you're talking about use her against us now?"

The woman sighed and drove a hand through her short hair tiredly.

"My god it's annoying when you don't remember..." she mumbled impatiently and took the last of her drink, "Although she was killed as a vampire back then, she somehow came back to life - as a vampire, how or why is still a mystery to us, six centuries later, nevertheless, we're happy to have her with us and would like to keep it that way."

"So, this person, whoever she is, is in danger and you want me to save her?" Kol said, trying to understand where all this was going. The woman rolled her eyes.

"Haven't you been listening at all, Kol?" She asked with a hint of annoyance, "It's not just her, it's the entirely of the vampire race who is in the risk of being killed off completely, even you and your family. The hunters know of your weakness and they'll do anything to exploit it and use it against you."

"Right, the weakness, the secret that none of us remembers." Kol pointed out with a huff and leaned back in the bar stool indifferently.

"It's not about whether you remember her or not. You're all bound to her through the bond of family, and with Nik it's something deeper. You've already lost her twice, after which Nik had gone on decades long killer bends. I know you're all supposedly settled now. Being married, having lovers, kids and whatnot, but it is only a matter of time before they're coming for you, hungry for revenge, is it really something you wanna risk? Is it, Kol?"

The woman rose from the barstool and graphed her jacket, then Kol suddenly found himself slammed against the bar desk, warm and wet lips against his and a feeling of familiarity running through him from the woman's touch and closeness.

"Think about it, Kol." The woman said as she pulled away just a little, "If you won't do anything, the happy life, that you're living with your little wife, may just end sooner, rather than later."

With the last words, the woman disappeared from in front of the original, as did the two followers, leaving Kol alone in a bar with people compelled to forget everything about ever seeing the brown haired woman.

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 **A/N:** Oh, this is merely the beginning. What did you think? Wanna learn more about who is who, what is what and what went on? Then be sure to let me know, so I'll know it's worth writing! :D ;)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Hello and thank you for reading! :D I hope this chapter is to your liking. Enjoy! :D

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

A voice suddenly shook Klaus awake. He sat up in bed, scanning the dark bedroom, but saw nothing but darkness and shadows.

"I was against this." The voice spoke again.

Female.

"I'm rarely one to ask for help," She continued, "Especially from you."

Klaus scanned the room again, getting frustrated when he couldn't locate the voice.

"Who are you?!" He spoke aloud, not hiding his growing anger and impatience, "Where are you?!"

No answer, but dark silence. Klaus let out an angry growl and jumped out of bed.

"Quit playing and show yourself!" He demanded and spun in place when a flicker of light suddenly appeared from one corner of his bedroom. A bright flame appeared from what seemed to be the palm of a hand, lighting up a pale face with glowing red eyes and flaming red hair. The hybrid froze for a moment, taken aback by something he couldn't remember ever having seen before. The woman looked like something out of this world, unreal in the glow from the pale red flame. She smirked, revealing a pair of perfectly white fangs.

"What are you?" Klaus asked, finding it hard to believe what he was seeing. A part of him believed he was still asleep or merely seeing things in his half-woken state. Or maybe some bold New Orleans witch was playing tricks on him. The woman sighed and waved her hand, causing the candle lights in Klaus' bedroom to light up, lighting up the room, before she stood up from the armchair.

"You don't remember me, do you?" She asked and looked at him, as red eyes faded to a clear turquoise and walked to him slowly, twirling a finger around one of the small candle light, as if she was playing with it.

"You don't remember anything of it at all, do you?" In the next second, it seemed, she was inches from him, eyes piercing into his, as Klaus found himself frozen in place, unable to move the slightest.

"This was a mistake then." She sneered through gritted teeth, "A bloody waste of my precious time. But then again," She added bitterly, "that's to be expected, after all, you did throw me away 30 years ago... Well, I don't need you Nik, I don't need any of you. I've made it on my own until now and I will continue to do so." The woman looked away and took a step back from Klaus. The hybrid let out a long breath, not realizing he had been holding it back until the distance between them grew.

"You may have lived a thousand years Nik," The red head said and glanced back at him, turquoise eyes turning hard, "But there's so much about this world that you don't know. So much, you've allowed yourself to forget and exchange for what? This?" She asked and pointed at the things around them, letting out a small humorless chuckle, "I've watched you for days and honestly, I'm disappointed. You've strayed so far from the man I knew and loved. The Niklaus Mikaelson that I knew was not only a great king and leader, he was a magnificent warrior as well." The woman held up her hand and slowly closed it into a fist as the lights started going out.

"Even if I wanted your help, you'd be too weak and become a burden, more than a help against the foes I'm facing. Even in your newly acquired hybrid state." She added coldly, looking at the hybrid. The last thing Klaus saw before everything turned black, was the hard, turquoise eyes, with just a hint of sadness painted in black orbs.

 **(…)**

Elijah pulled his head back and gently put the unconscious woman on the ground, after making sure her heart was still beating steadily. He took out the handkerchief from his inner pocket and dried the remaining blood from the corner of his mouth, before standing up. He glanced around in the dim alley. Making sure no one was around to have seen him. The weather was getting chillier and the nights darker as the season was changing in the Northern France. The nightlife of Paris was slowly wakening up and filling the lit up streets. Elijah dusted off his suit, making ready to enter the streets when a voice suddenly made him freeze.

"Proper as always, huh Elijah?" The male voice came from the dark shadows of the alley, "But it seems you've grown somewhat slow with your old age. I've been here, watching you for quite some time."

The original turned toward the sound of the voice and spoke up.

"Who's there!?" He shouted, senses alert and ready. An amused chuckle emerged from the shadows along with the figure of a young looking man, black hair and green eyes shining in the dim light from the street.

"Easy, easy Elijah, no need to put up that defense." The man said and held up his hands in surrender, "I would never do anything to hurt you." He added as he stepped out in the light completely. The man looked to be in his early twenties. He was wearing a gray suit, complete with black shoes. He was well trimmed with thick black hair and decorative face stubble. Green eyes shone with amusement and warmth, as he looked at the original.

"Who are you?" Elijah questioned, raising a suspicious brow. The man dropped his arms, looking somewhat dejected.

"So, it's true what the gals said then, you guys really don't remember?" The man asked, with a hint of sadness. He sighed and drove a hand through his hair and glanced at the Mikaelson hesitantly. "This really isn't good." He added and took a step closer Elijah, "You don't remember, but looking at the lives you've lived without us, it's clear that you miss and need us. You've been trying to compensate for us in different ways over the years."

"Us?" Elijah asked, taking a step towards the young man curiously and guarded. The young man smiled.

"You've always been all about family. Always and forever – family first." He began and put his hands on his back, looking up at Elijah, unwavering, "You've taught us the importance of family. To stick together and fight for one another – no matter the cost and yet," He paused for a moment and drew a deep sigh, "You've forgotten that family isn't always about the blood, but the love you have for each other. It's about trust and the things you're willing to do for one another. Despite this, you've forgotten us; your extended, adopted family."

A silence fell between them as the young man stepped up to Elijah, eyes locked on the original.

"The woman that Niklaus married, the one that Kol… well, they never did get married," He said and grinned, "but that was defiantly the next step for them and me - the boy you took in and raised as your own son, Elijah. And we're only the top of the iceberg. Contrary to popular belief, there are quite a few people who love and respect the Mikaelson siblings. You've been around for a thousand years, it shouldn't really be a surprise." The man said and blinked with a grin.

"So, you're with those two," Elijah concluded, referring to the two women who his brothers had told him about. It had been bothering him. People suddenly appearing in front of his siblings, talking about matters, none of them remembered. Something was amiss. Something was threatening his family and Elijah was determined to figure out what and who before it could touch any of them. The young man smirked and pulled up on his shirt. He turned a little, showing the side of his abdomen in the light. The original's eyes widened as a black panther with shinning red eyes was revealing, decorating the young man's thigh and side.

"Yeah, I'm with them." He said and pulled his shirt back down, looking at Elijah with anticipation.

"Niklaus and Kol described the same tattoo." Elijah mumbled, mostly to himself, "What does it mean?" He asked, looking at the young man.

"The black panther." He said and smiled, absently caressing his side, where the Panther rested under his shirt, "It means family."

 **(…)**

Rousseau's was lively as ever on a Friday night in the French Quarter. Klaus Mikaelson had found his way to the local bar, trying to distract himself from the thoughts and dreams, which seemed to have been haunting him every sleeping and waking moment for the past few days. Dreams, flashes of a certain red-haired woman. It was taunting him like an itch that wouldn't stop. He graphed his drink forcibly as he distantly noticed laughter from some guests sitting behind him and someone sitting down next to him. He didn't bother looking at the other person but couldn't help glancing at the hand reaching out, waving over the female bartender. It was of metal, screws, and nuts. Mechanic, robotic. Thin, pointy fingers, moving with a subtle sound of machinery as they closed around the small glass. Curious, Klaus' eyes glanced from the hand up the clothed arm to a scared neck and a face with one blue eye watching him. The other eye, while clearly the same color, was of glass and a long vertical scar ran over it, partly hid by blond locks of hair. The stranger held Klaus' gaze for a long moment before he spoke.

"It really is true then. I heard the rumors, but I had to see it for myself."

Klaus sighed tired and annoyed. This was getting old and he was getting sick of it.

"Don't tell me. I've forgotten you too?" He asked not hiding how little he cared about the matter. The man laughed.

"Yes, it certainly seems you have." He grinned and looked over his shoulder to the guests in the bar, "If you did remember me this place would be in a very different state and us in another position." He looked back at the hybrid with a twisted smirk, "However, unlike your panther tattooed body's, I'm quite thrilled that you don't remember me."

"Is that so?" Klaus said indifferently and took another sip of his drink, looking away from the man.

"Indeed." The stranger said and picked up his drink, twirling the glass lazily in his robotic hand, "It's gonna make my and my people's job so much easier."

Klaus glanced at the man beside him with a raised brow.

"Killing her and you," The stranger answered the originals unasked question and met his gaze, "along with your families and well, other supernaturals." He said with a wicked smirk and took a sip of his drink, before he leaned in to whisper in the hybrid's ear, "After all, what can you do against a foe you don't remember, Lord Niklaus Mikaelson?"

"You're a hunter," Klaus concluded, feeling a tension rise inside him. The stranger grinned.

"I'm not just any hunter." He insisted and put down his drink, "I'll be that monster you so badly want me to be." The man said and paused for a moment, "That's what you told me after I killed her, right before you jammed some of your blood down my throat and killed me." He crooked a grin, revealing a pair fangs as his eye flashed red, "It's not like I'm blaming you for turning me. On the contrary actually, I quite enjoy being a ruthless bloodsucker. Especially with the knowledge I have and the things I'm capable of." The man got up slowly, keeping his eye on Klaus, "I'm a whole different kind of vampire, Lord Mikaelson. A kind that you've forgotten. I'm another level of 'monster'." He said in a whisper, grinning wickedly before he disappeared in a cloud of dark smoke. Klaus blinked, suddenly feeling perplexed and disoriented as if he had just woken from some sort of trancelike state. He looked around in the bar, as something tickled in his nose. Eyes widened when they landed on the scene around him. The bodies of werewolves, vampires, and witches alike, lay scattered in the bar as a bloody mess, with a sweet smell of blood and death hanging in the air. Klaus made a face and felt his stomach turn at the sight. He turned away only to find the bartender pierced against the back of the bar with a wooden stool leg. The hybrid clenched his fist, breaking the glass in his hand. He barely felt the sting of the remaining alcohol entering the glass cuts, as his body tensed in fury.

 **(…)**

Rebekah Mikaelson wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her thumb and walked out on the busy street of down town New York. She smiled to herself, satisfied and content, as she pulled her jacket closer around her and moved through the crowd. Sounds of honking cars, chatting people and raindrops hitting the pavement filled the street as the smell of rain filled the nostrils. It was getting colder, not to mention a lot more wet, with the east coast Fall, however, Rebekah had quickly gotten used to the grim weather and had developed a certain appreciation for the vastly changing weather, compared to the constant heat of the south. She had slowly fallen in love with the city, which had been her and Marcel's home for the past decade. The Mikaelson sister enjoyed the freedom and the anonymity the city gave. As Rebekah turned a black, she felt herself collide with someone and stumbled back a little, regaining her balance, before looking up, to see who so rudely had bumped into her. A couple of dark eyes and a crooked smirk met her.

"Rebekah Mikaelson, there you are." A smooth male voice spoke. Rebekah stood up completely, raised a brow and felt herself tense up, suddenly guarded.

"Do I know you?" The originals asked suspiciously, not liking the familiarity the stranger showed. Her brothers had called and told her about them being approached by people, claiming to know the Mikaelsons, however, they had been friendly. However, 'friendly' wasn't quite the feeling Rebekah got from the stranger in front of her.

"Well, the last time you saw me, you were but a little girl, running around after Elijah and Niklaus, so I doubt you remember me. Plus, I was in my own body back then." The stranger said and blinked at the vampire, "This one is just a temporary necessity." He added and pointed at himself. Rebekah took a step back, feeling an instinct to be cautious of the man. She found herself unable to read him or sense anything about him. There was nothing familiar about him, whatsoever. No feel of him being a vampire, witch or even a werewolf or a human, for that matter.

"Who are you?" She asked, feeling a cold shiver, as his eyes watched her for a quiet moment.

"I need you to be a good girl and do something for me." He said and was inches from her in the next second, "But first, I need you to sleep."

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 **A/N:** So, a lot of mysterious people, suddenly appearing. Some good and some... well... So, what did you think? Is this something worth continuing? Be sure to let me know what you think ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Hello everyone! It's been awhile, hope you're all doing well :) It's been quite awhile since I've last posted a chapter, I've been busy with well - real life ;)

However, here's finally a small update - hope you like it :D

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The Mikaelsons were gathered around the breakfast table. It had been a few months since they'd all been gathered like this and it was only because of the recent happenings, that they had deemed it necessary to meet up. Something was amiss, something was changing. They all felt it and it made them uneasy. People appearing suddenly, claiming to know them, speaking of a past they had no recollection of. Then there were the dreams and Rebekah's mysterious black out, where there had been several hours, which seemed to have been lost to her. It was unsettling. Despite the somewhat unnerving reason for their meeting up, the Mikaelsons still managed to enjoy their time together, spend as a family.

Hope had taken extra days off from her life at college and both Elijah, Kol and Rebekah had returned to New Orleans with their respectable partners, in order to figure out what was going on and whether or not it was an actual threat.

Elijah, Kol and Hayley were chatting and Hope was telling Rebekah and Freya about her life as a sophomore at college, when the gates to the courtyard was slammed open and a black clothed man flew across the room, catching the attention of the family around the table.

The man quickly stumbled to his feet and eyes widened when his eyes landed on Elijah, Rebekah and Kol.

"Shit..." He mumbled and glanced back at the exit, eyes wild in fear.

"You wanted an audience, right?" Klaus said, voice low and smooth as he walked through the gate, towards the man. The man stumbled back, hitting the outdoor couch and fell back.

"What is going on?" Elijah asked and stood up, "Niklaus?" He added taking in the look of his brother. The hybrid's clothes were torn and he was dirty, covered in dust and blood.

"This little pest," Klaus began and graphed the man by his throat, "and his body's decided they had a death wish and attacked me last night." The hybrid said and glanced at his brother, "I'm tired of being in the dark, I demand answers."

Klaus turned his attention back to the man, dangling in his grasp.

"Now tell me, who are you? Who send you and why?" The original asked, catching the eyes of the struggling man. He stopped fighting in the next second and stared back at Klaus blankly.

"We're part of the Vatican hunters." The man answered monotonous, "Cain sent us. Wanted to shake you up a bit. The master is getting impatient."

"Master?" Freya asked and stood up, watching her brother and the stranger closely. Klaus tightened his grip on the man, telling him to answer the question.

"With the last of the five seals broken, the master is back in his body, but for him to return to his full power, he needs the blood of those who locked him away..." The words were forced out of the man as his face slowly twisted more in silent terror with every word escaping his mouth.

"I-I'm sorry..." He whimpered as his face suddenly turned pained, "I-I don't mean to. I couldn't-" The man let out an agonizing scream, causing Klaus to drop him in surprise.

"No! No!" The man screamed in despair, clutching his head and curled up on the cold ground.

"Please, have mercy! I'm sorry master!"

With another chilling scream the man burst into flames and soon, the scream turned to whimpers and faded with the flames, leaving nothing behind but a pile of ashes. The Mikaelsons stood dumbfounded, staring long at the ashes.

"What... just happened...?" Kol asked and looked around at his family, who looked just as confused and clueless as he felt.

(...)

The ringing tone made its way through the blissful oblivion.

The siphon grunted annoyed and reached out, knocking several items over as her hand fumbled in the darkness, trying to locate the obstinate phone. She felt movement next to her in the bed. The noise no doubt having woken her bedpartner for the night. The siphon finally felt the phone under her fingers and graphed it as she fell back in the bed.

"This better be important." She grunted annoyed and removed the hand feeling her up under the covers.

"Is this Anna?" The voice asked uncertain in the other end, making the siphon sit up straight.

"Kol?" She asked back surprised. She would recognize that voice anywhere at any time.

"Yes." The voice was hesitant at first, as if he didn't quite know what to say, "Frankly, I don't know why I called. But after what happen I somehow found your name and number in my pocket and- how did you put it there?"

Anna shook her head and pushed her persistent bed partner away, before getting out of bed.

"I was afraid something happened and you'd need our help. Seems I was right." She commented and picked up the panties and top, scattered on the bedroom floor.

"So, what happened?"

(...)

The pencil brush caressed the canvas, leaving behind long, perfect strokes of fiery red. He had wanted to get her out of his head. The mystery red head who kept haunting his dreams. He glanced at the turquoise eyes, looking back at him gently. This was the only way he knew how and every time he started on a portrait, it was as if his hands moved across the canvas on their own, as if they knew every color and every feature by heart. This time the setting of the portrait seemed to be 14th century, is the long, green dress and bare neck was anything to go by. All the portraits of her were different. From different times through history and yet Klaus somehow knew exactly what she'd look like. Every little detail from her jewelry to the curves in her dresses. He paused for a moment, getting lost in the deep turquoise of her eyes. The eyes and the hair always seemed the hardest. For some reason, he could never be completely satisfied with the colors.

The original took a step back, taking in the entirety of the painting, in order to figure out if the colors were right or not. It was then that he noticed the small item in her hands. Klaus turned tin the spot and headed for the stack of previous paintings of her. As he rummaged through them, he realized the pictures all had one thing in common, besides the portrayed woman.

 _"_ _It's beautiful."_

The voice of a young female rang deep inside his head.

 _"_ _Can I really have it? I saw the one you made for Rebekah and I-"_

Klaus looked back at the portrait he was currently working on, eyes landing on the item right away.

 _"_ _Yes."_

Klaus heard the whisper of his own voice.

 _"_ _This is for you. Whenever you feel scared or lost, hold on to this and know that I'll always come for you. I will always find you. Always."_

A young girl's sweet chuckle.

Klaus dropped to the floor and closed his eyes, clutching his head as he heard the girl's respond.

 _"_ _Like my very own knight in shining armor."_

"Yeah, something like that…" The hybrid said aloud, repeating the words he'd once spoken and looked back up at the portrait.

Klaus let out a frustrated roar and got up, grapping the nearest chair and threw it at the portrait. Knocking over the canvas along with the paint and water.

"Stop taunting me!" He screamed angrily, just as Kol entered the studio.

"Whoa, whoa easy now brother!" He said, holding up his hands. He looked around the room and let out an impressed whistle.

"I don't know what's going on here," He said and pointed around the room, but it looks like you could use a psychiatrist."

"Lucky for you," Kol continued and walked into the room, picking up the portrait, "someone like that just walked in through our door." Kol glanced at his brother for a silent moment, "someone very skilled and very much alive."

(...)

The vampire huffed in disgust as he watched the scene from across the street.

"Why?" He asked and made a face as the hybrid hugged the blonde tight, "I mean, I get me and even some of the others, but Cami? And after everything I went through to kill her. I thought you wanted Klaus to suffer, not give him back a lost love."

"I need him distracted." The raw voice came from the darkness behind the vampire. He huffed again and dried the blood of the corner of his mouth.

"Distracted? From what?"

"Her." Was the answer, "He was getting too close. I can't have him getting in the way of me taking what I need. Speaking of which-"

The vampire was suddenly pulled back and slammed against the wall. He let out a surprised gasp as he felt cold fingers close around his heart. An unpleasantly familiar feeling.

"I still need to see some results." The cold whisper sent chills through the vampire.

"You and Cain," it continued with a hiss, "don't make me regret bringing you back, Lucien."

(...)

Rebekah watched her brother and Cami from the balcony as they left the compound together and walked down the busy street. She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.

"You seem troubled, sister."

Rebekah turned slowly to find her older sister joining her on the balcony, face showing worried wrinkles.

"I'm happy for him, believe me and I liked Cami." Rebekah began and watched the two disappear in the crowd.

"But?" Freya asked, looked at her sister questioning. Rebekah met her sisters gaze.

"But I can't help feeling that something isn't right." She began and let out another sigh, changing her attention to the far horizon with the setting sun painting the skies an ominous red.

"First the strangers appearing, then my black out, from which I still can't remember anything and now, someone who's been dead for over a decade suddenly returns alive?" Rebekah shook her head before continuing, "There's no way Nik will admit this now, but this isn't the first time one of his lovers has return from death and let's just say; the last time? It wasn't pretty. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually miss Caroline. It's regrettable that her and Nik split up. She was simpler. From the simple time of backstabbing betrayals in Mystic Falls."

Freya crooked a smile and followed Rebekah's gaze over the horizon.

"I do share your concern." She said thoughtful, "And from the years I got to spend with Caroline, I found her pleasantly simple as well. I was sad to learn they broke up." Freya shivered, as a cold evening breeze played in her hair, "Something is stirring in the magic. The ancestors are restless, nervous."

The witch's words were followed by a long silence between the two sisters.

"Something is lurking. Something is coming." Freya added, her voice shaking ever so slightly, making Rebekah turn her attention to her, "I can feel a freezing cold deep within." She met Rebekah's gaze, "It's something, like none of us has ever faced before... it may very well be the end; not only for our family, but for everyone..."

(…)

 _Welcome to the end of eras_

 _Ice has melted back to life_

 _Done my time and served my sentence_

 _Dress me up and watch me die_

 _If it feels good, tastes good_

 _It must be mine_

 _Dynasty decapitated_

 _You just might see a ghost tonight_

 _And if you don't know now you know_

 _I'm taking back the crown_

 _I'm all dressed up and naked_

 _I see what's mine and take it_

* * *

 **A/N:** I know, this wasn't very long and with quite a few small scenes, in order to properly set up the situation and ongoing plot properly. A few more characters, new and old... ;) Please let me know what you think, thanks! :D


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